Golf practicing and exercising device



H. W. SMITH.

GOLF PRACTICING AND EXERCISING DEVICE.

FILEDJUNE I. 1921.

Dec. 19,1922. 3 1,439,339.

Patented era 3.9, 1922.

o SIT-ES may w. sma, or AKRON, 01110.

eotrrnneirrcme'nnn nxnncrsme DEVICE.

. Application filed June 1,

ToaZZwko m'z'tmay concern;

Be it known that I, HARRY W. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residin at Akron, in the county of Summit and tate of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Golf Practicing and Exercising Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in v has particular relation to certain new and useful improvements in devices of the character shown in my pending application, filed December 17 1920, Serial Number 431,448. It is an object of the invention to provide a golf practicing device which may be used to advantage in acquiring proficiency inac- 'curately striking a golf ball. A further object is to provide a device which will include a strong, durable ball, elastically connected to a suitable base so as to be capable of being driven a considerable distance fr'om said base andwhich when struck with a golf club will be propelled therefrom 'and automatically returned thereto and will indicate by its line of travel the nature of the stroke so that the accuracy or inaccuracy thereof may be easily determined.

Other objects are to provide a device of the character above indicated, having a'ball which may be subjected to constant use for 4 a long period of time without. breaking or being otherwise rendered unfit for use'and' to provide an elastic connecting member which will be very durable and be capable of great extensibility and be provided with new and efiicient means for detachably securing "the ball thereto. and to provide a. new and improved base member to which the connecting member may be, anchored and which will permit the free stretching of'said connecting "member.

The above'and additional objects are accomplished by the novel construction, com

bination. and arran ement of parts-herein- "after described and illustrated in the accompanyin drawing, in which I have shown a preferre it being understood that the mventlon 1s capable of various adaptations and that changes and alterations may be made or sub*- stitutions resorted to which'come within the scope of the claimehereunto appended.

In the drawings in which similar nugolf practicing and exercising devices and embodiment of the invention,

1921. Serial No. 474,064.

merals of reference have been employed to indlcate the same'orlike-parts as they may occur in the-several views Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved device.

Figure 2 is a central, vertical sectional view of an improved form of ball used in carrying out the invention and also showing in s de elevation my improved elastic connect ng member and illustrating in central. vertical section the means employed to secure the connecting member to the ball.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the disk employed in securing the connecting member to the ball and also illustrating a portion of the connecting member attached thereto.

Figure 4 is a central, longitudinal sectional view of my improved device taken as indicated by the lines 44 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a bottom view-of my improved device and also showing by dotted lines the manner in which the ball may be propelled therefrom.

Referring now to-a detailed description of the'invention, the numeral 1 indicates a base member which in the particular embodiment of the invention shown is in the form of a rectangularimat. A centrally positioned substantially -V-shaped notch 2 is formed in one of the short sides-of said base member and a 85- centrally positioned longitudinally directed slot 3 is formed in the bottom thereof so as to communicate with said. notch and extend rearwardly therefrom and terminate in an annular groove 4 which is preferably positioned at a point adjacent the rear end of the mat 1. The annular groove 4 is undercut at its inner circumferential edge, thus providing a but-0115, the purpose of which will be hereinafterljdescribed. 95

The numeral 6 indicates an elastic'connecting member which maybe constructed of any suitable material, but which I prefer tofconstruct of hollow rubber tubing, one end of the tube is turned back upon itself and secured by ,being 'w'ra pad with rubber thread"? so as to form he'loops 8 "and 9, either of which may be positioned over the button 5 to secure the elastic member 6 to the base 1. By closin the tube 6 at, on'e end by wrapping rub er thread therearound as at 14 and by closing the 'same' at the other end by the wrapping 7,

I have provided a hollow rubber connecting member which is filled with air and lie will therefore withstand being struck with a relativelysharp club without being cut or broken.

The numeral denotes a disk which is preferably formed of felt on" otherrelatively soft material, and the numerals ll and -12 indicate holes which extendthrough the said disk 10. The end 13. of the tube 6 is threaded upwardly through the hole '12 and downwardl through the .hole 11 and is secured to itsel- I as at 14 bya wrapping of rubber thread or other suitable material. The ball 15 is hollow and is composedof elastic material preferably-of soft rubber composition .which will possess sufficient stifiness to form an easily collapsible ball that will almost instantly return to its normal shape after being collapsed. .The ball 15, is provided with; a hole 16 which is formed in the bottom-thereof to receive the connecting member 6. The numeral 17 indicates a downwardly projecting annula'r flange which is integral with the body of the ball 15 and surrounds the'hole 14 so as to form'a base or tee Which is substantially cylindrical'in form and projects radially from said ball. v

In-securing the member 6to the ball 15, the bottom of the ball. isstretched and the hole is thus enlarged sufficiently to permit the disk 10.to.be insertedztherein, whereu on the ball is permitted to resume its norm-a ,shape and the disk is securel ret ained thereinas shown inFigure 2. 1s method" of. securing the cord to the .ball is; particularly 'efiicientjnasmuch as the disk IQ is freely rothrough. I I

In use, the/connecting member 6V is socuredto the ball=15as .hereinbefore set forth is-hit in re tatable in the ballithus preventing a twists ing. of the cord. whenithe ball is-struckwith' the golf club. The numeral 18' denotes a.

hole: which'is formed the body .of" the ball to. permit the free passage of air thereand one oi. the loops 8 and -9 is secured on the button 5. The member 6 is carried forward-in the groove3 so that the ball 15 is positioned on the upper face of the mat 1 andis retained thereon at a point just above theapex of thenotch 2;; The base member 1 isthen laced-fiat on the floor or other surfaceand the ball is struck with a golf club in exactly thesame manner as a golf ball. lar play. a: straight ball is, desired an theball isstruck accurately, it

will-be dotted no 20. If, however, the ballis.

opielled forwardly as shown bythe sliced, intentionally or unintentionally, it

willlbe driven. forward substantially as'inaimed b. rammed. line 21, and like ise iflthe b is puma, it: willtravelas" ,di-

' .cated.bythedottedline'19L If the ball is toppedfoi hit too high or too low. the play I may bepbservedand: accurately judged by the distance the ball travels from the mat. The ball" 15 when hit willi par'tly collapse and the air" in the ball escapes through the holes 16 and 18. As soon as the ballis-out of contact with. the club it assumes its normal shape and after being propelled forwardly is instantly returned to the base 1, the shape of the notch 2 being such that the ball is automatically teed.

. It will thus be seen that I have, provided a a simple, durable, inexpensive device which,

while embodying the broad features of my former invention, which. is fully described inmy pendin application to which reference is herein efore made presents sever I- decided improvements over thestructure i lustrated and described Havingv thus illustrated, my invention and described the same in detail, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent mounted on the upper face of said base member and normally held in positionthereon by saidconnect ing member.

2. In a device of the"class-described, a 100 base member, an object -member' and an elastic connecting member therebetween, said object member being a hollow rubber ball having a tee formed integral therewith and an opening extending through said tee, means to rotatably secure one end of said connecting member in said opening and means to detachably secure the other end thereof to the'underside of said base member.

In a device of the classdescribed, a

mat having a notch in one end thereof, a-

ball adapted to be positioned on the upper face of said mat at a point above the apex of said notch, a groove in the under. face' of said mat, said groove leading from the apex of. said notch to a point adjacent the opposite end of 'said mat,..an elastic mein-- ber, .means to secure one end thereof in said I groove, the other end thereof being secured.

to said ball;

4. In a device. of the class described, a- ..mat hav ng a notch in one end thereof, a grooveln the under face of said mat, said groove Ieadin fromthe apex of said notch to .a' point. a jacent the other end of said mat, a button in sald. groove, an elastic fmeniber'havmg one end thereof detachabl secured to said buttonand extending longitudinally throughsaid groove to the apex .tube to said base member and means to detachably's'ecure the other end thereof to'said object member.

7. In a device of the classv described, a base member, an object member and an elastic connecting member, said object memher comprising. a hollow ball composed of relatively stifi' elastic material, an opening in the bottom of said ball, a retaining member on one end of said connecting member, said retaini member adapted to be inserted into t e ball through said opening to retain the Same on said connecting member.

8. In a device of the class described, a base member and an object member positioned thereon at a point adjacent the forward ed e thereof, a hollow elastic connecting mem er arranged to normally retain the object member at said point and adapted to return the same thereto when moved therefrom, said ob'ect member comprising 'a hollow ball of relatively stifi material, an opening in the bottom of said ball and a downwardly projecting cylindrical tee concentrically arranged around said opening.

9. In a device of the class described, a basemember, an object member and a hollow rubber tube connectingsaid members, said tube being filled with air and closed at each end.

10. In means for connecting a ball to an.

anchoring member, a,hollow tube of elastic rubber containing air and closed at both ends.

11. In means for connecting a ball to an anchoring member, a hollow tube of elastic rubber containing airand having each end thereof turned back upon itself and secured in a loop' by rubber thread wound therearound.

12. In a device of the class described, av

mat, a notch at the forward end thereof, a ball positioned on the upper face of said mat above the apex of said notch, an elastic connecting member having one end secured to said ball and extending under said mat with the other end thereof secured at a point adjacent the rear end thereof.

13, In a device of the class described, a hollow rubber ball, an opening in the bottom thereof, a tee around said opening, a hollow elastic cord, a felt button secured to one end of said cord and inserted in said opening to retain the ball on said cord.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

s nner w. SMITH. 

